books

The Beautiful Fae

A Perfect Witchcraft – Excerpt

In this excerpt from Chapter 7, my main character John Storey is reflecting on his new life in Faerie.

Almost every inhabitant of this odd realm was able to create variations of their own being, so might the land have created a fantastic illusion of itself?

His hands shook, and not just from the sudden blast of wind stirring the loose rolls lying about on the floor. The next question to consider – was magic a power unto itself, a self-perpetuating cycle as Valtaria said? Perhaps, but if the Fae world was an illusion it was a solid one.

Something equally unsettling occurred to him – if the beautiful Opal Court and its surroundings were fictions, was this wasteland beyond the library the real Faery? But why would the illusion end here? Once again he felt himself struggling with philosophy as if he walked through thick snow. Storey put down the book he was holding and stood. There was perhaps only one way to find out.

Coming soon …

Dragon Lines

books, story

My New Novel Explores the Mystery of Dragon Lines |||

My latest book, The Devil Diamond, explores the dragon lines, pathways so called by the ancients because they helped them navigate their way across mountains and valleys. But is there another significance to these ancient paths?

For centuries, people have been fascinated by what we now call ley lines, dragon paths, energy lines – said to connect important places of power on our planet. Some believe they offer a gateway to other dimensions.

The concept of ley lines has often been linked to the idea of dragon lines, which are a similar concept in traditional Chinese culture. Dragon lines, also known as “lung mei” in Chinese, are believed to be energy lines that connect important spiritual sites, such as temples, mountains, and rivers, across the landscape.

Like ley lines, dragon lines are thought to carry a special energy or power that can be harnessed for spiritual purposes. In traditional Chinese medicine, for example, it is believed that certain acupuncture points are located along dragon lines and can be used to regulate the flow of energy in the body.

While the concept of dragon lines dates back to ancient China, it has also been adopted and adapted by modern Western esoteric traditions. Some think that ley lines and dragon lines are part of a larger global network of energy lines that crisscross the Earth’s surface and can be used for spiritual and healing.

The similarities between ley lines and dragon lines suggest that the concept of energy lines connecting spiritual sites is a cross-cultural phenomenon that has been recognized by people throughout history. While the specific beliefs and practices associated with ley lines and dragon lines may vary depending on cultural context, they both point to a fundamental human desire to connect with the spiritual and mystical aspects of the natural world.

Fascinating stuff for a fantasy writer.

The Devil Diamond takes all this a step further. If you’re looking for a romance where the paranormal meets Regency period drama then this book is for you. It’s now available on Amazon.

I hope you’ll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Thanks for stopping by!

Happy reading!

To get regular updates from me please subscribe here.

Free Romance Out Now

books, story, writing

Beautiful couple Captain Jess and Fleur from my free novel – Almost A Lady.
These two are gorgeous, but they didn’t make it to the book cover.

They do look a bit severe, but he’s the brother of a lord, while she was left at a convent as a baby. So it’s a difficult situation, but a romance absolutely must have a happy ending.

Captain Jess is a character from my earlier novel, A Shameful Alliance. Other stars from that story also put in an appearance.

Photoshop will let me manipulate the image to put a smile on their faces, but why spoil our hero’s stunning good looks?

Here’s a link to the first chapter Almost A Lady

A Magical Gem

books, story

The following is a section of my upcoming novel – A Perfect Witchcraft. The image is Midjourney’s rather gorgeous interpretation of what Storey does with his gift.

As he stood silently observing the Faerie morning, a voice spoke up beside him. It was the moth-like sprite who attended the King on the dais. With his wings tightly furled his green tunic reached almost to his knees and his spindly legs looked to be encased in feathery grey tights.
‘John Storey,’ he said. ‘I am the King’s messenger. You were once a King’s messenger yourself, or so King Fahriel tells me.’
‘I was. But now I am a children’s tutor.’ He could not help the slight note of chagrin that came with these words.
The sprite laughed. ‘Well, you are honoured, believe me. My name, by the way, is Blahnid. The King has sent you a gift.’
The sprite moved closer, held out his closed fist and then slowly opened it. Storey blinked and caught his breath. It was a beautiful opal the size of a hen’s egg. The colour was like a summer sky, with veins of lightning flashing at its heart. Storey took it and felt it throbbing on his palm.
‘For me? But why?’
Blahnid stretched his shoulders and his wings fluttered slightly. ’Don’t ask. Just be thankful for it. Fahriel’s gifts are not given lightly. Have it made into a brooch or a pendant, or whatever you will. It is your key to the world of Faerie. Wear it openly, and with pride.’
‘I … I will, of course. Thank you.’
Blahnid yawned. His leathery face broke into deep grooves around his mouth and his eyes turned to slits. ‘The day has begun. We must all sleep, at least until the bell for court. You will attend, of course. Valtaria will later speak with you about your tutoring program.’ He cocked one eyebrow suggestively, then bowed and left with a wave of his hand.
Liriana did not join him in his room. Perhaps she was still with the King. He sat staring at the magnificent opal until his eyes began to close. Whatever the significance of that gift he felt it marked a new beginning. From now on his life in Faerie would be very different.

If you would like to know more … subscribe to my newsletter.

Klara And The Sun

books

Review:

It’s difficult to talk about Kazuo Ishiguro’s latest novel Klara And The Sun without giving away details that are gradually revealed throughout the story. But here goes.

Klara is a robot referred to as an AF or Artificial Friend. In the beginning of the book she is sitting in a shop window on display, rather like a clothing dummy. The difference is that as an AI she has a particular awareness of her surroundings, and also her friend Rosa who is sitting beside her. She can communicate with Rosa and discuss what they see. We see everything from Klara’s point of view.

Klara is a solar powered machine, and the sun is her energy source. She tells us that she is aware of the sun’s position throughout the day and we see how important it is to her wellbeing. When she is moved to the back of the store to allow newer AF models to be displayed in the window Klarais not particularly concerned because she knows Manager will allow her back in the window again.

Although Klara is an earlier model she is attractive and supposedly more intelligently aware than her friend Rosa. Through her eyes we see characters like the Overhaul Man who regularly passes the store, a derelict who sleeps across the street with his dog, and an elderly couple who appear to greet each other warmly after a long separation. Klara’s observations lead us to believe that her knowledge of human nature is limited, but essentially correct.

Eventually she is bought for a girl, Josie, who soon becomes ill. It’s Klara’s job as Josie’s companion to watch over her and warn Mother if her condition deteriorates. Klara doesn’t know what Josie is suffering from, but the concern of Mother and Melania House Keeper shows her (and us) that the illness is serious. As a result, Klara is convinced that the Sun, her own power source, can cure Josie, and much of the book’s suspense is built around Klara’s attempts to bring this about.

Josie is friendly with Rick who lives next door. Klara sees that Rick is in some way disadvantaged and will not be able to go to college or get a job. Josie and Rick’s relationship is important to the story and to Klara, who comes to understand the quality of human love through their dependence on each other.

In typical Ishiguro fashion, the story is a slow reveal, and as each thread unravels we see a dire situation developing that could mean disaster for Josie and a very different future for Klara.

The book only briefly touches on this future society’s attitude to AI and how humanity is threatened by robotics, but there is much more going on in this world than just the development of Artificial Friends.

Klara And The Sun is speculative fiction at its best. In this paranormal world we are able to look through the eyes of an intelligent machine and see what it means to be human.

There Be Dragons

books

Here’s a little teaser from The Devil Diamond – now available on Amazon.

‘This is a wonderful piece,’ Kel said, reaching out and spinning the globe on its axis.

Callahan leaned forward. ‘Indeed. But very much out of date. 1600s I believe, but a replica of a much earlier globe.’ The steward’s eyes were now alight and Kel could feel his pleasure at his interest in the globe.

‘You read Latin, sir?’ Singleton asked.

‘I did once. I’m a little rusty.’

The reverend pointed to the middle of the globe. ‘As you see, the globe maker had scant knowledge of the earth. He filled the space with fanciful imaginings.’

Kel peered at the clumsy script. ‘Hic Sunt Dracones,’ Kel read aloud. ‘Here Be Dragons. Well. Let’s hope not.’

There was a slight pause. Singleton sipped his Madeira and seemed to be choosing his words carefully. ‘If you’re interested in such things, local myth has it that there were once dragons nearby.’

‘Dragons? I see. Then I can understand that the country might well have an eerie feel to it. Thank you for the warning.’ The comment was meant to be droll, but Singleton took it seriously. He sat forward and fixed Kel with a steady stare.

‘Here in this country every stone, every beck, every tumble-down ruin has a story, or many stories – begun thousands of years ago. The landscape’s memory is long.’

Kel pursed his lips. It was now his turn to choose his words carefully. ‘I see. Then I look forward to finding out more about these myths. Now that I own the estate I should probably make an effort to share the local – concerns.’

Both Singleton and Callahan nodded, but said nothing more. It was apparent that something was going on here. They were testing him in some way, and he had clearly passed the first hurdle. He vaguely wondered what the next challenge might be, and why the new owner of Rivenwood was required to have an open mind on such unlikely things as dragons.

Read a preview chapter here.